The next generation in iPhone applications is on the way, using an ‘augmented reality’ app to, well, improve reality.

These applications are expected to surface in line with the next iPhone update (3.1) and are looking quite impressive… check the video below to see how iPhone + camera + compass + GPS + imagination can create groundbreaking functionality.

Unfortunately this may have cause people to walk the streets staring at their iPhone screen rather than actually participating in human contact, we’ll have to wait and see.

Factron, an expensive Apple case manufacturer, have announced something that certainly… catches the eye.

Their new case, the ‘Quattro’, is a robust looking, mostly metal iPhone case that features a neat interchangable lens section to improve on the iPhone’s camera capabilities. Available lenses include a close-up macro style lens, a fisheye lens and a wide angle lens.

The lenses for the case range in price from $15 – $55… but the case itself is an eye-wateringly expensive $200… which, thanks to the release of the 3GS and subsequent price drop of the previous models, is about $100 dearer than the iPhone 3G.

Source: Engadget Polska

If, like many people, you now own a “HD Ready” TV and haven’t yet splashed out on a Bluray player or some subscription HD broadcasting, then you may be happy to know there is an alternative.

The Western Digital TV HD Player is a tiny device that links to your TV via a HDMI or composite cable (though I’m not sure why you’d use composite), and allows up to two USB hard drives to be linked to it. Now, the beauty of it is that these hard drives can contain pretty much whatever file type you want (whether it be .mkv, .avi or  .wmv files …the list goes on) and the WD TV HD Player is capable of playing them, and play them well – even 1080p movies!

All this costs around £80 at the minute; an absolute bargain for anyone with a lot of home movies and pictures.

Small, but it does the job!

Sharp have recently announced their new “Mebius NJ70A” netbooks. Due for realease in late May, the specifications of the netbook are pretty standard, making use of the Intel Atom N270 (1.60GHz), 1GB RAM,  a 10.1 inch display and a 160 gb mechanical hard disk.

The thing that really sets this netbook apart from the rest, however, is the use of a photodetector liquid crystal, which is basically a mouse with a display. This quite frankly looks awesome, a bit like having your very own Nintendo DS on your netbook, but with multi-touch!

The applications that use the touchpad seem rather like novelties (things like pianos and a bowling game) than practical uses that really take advantage of the touchscreen, yet if the price is right (estimated at around $800) this will be a highly desirable selling point for avid netbookers.

Click below to see the touchpad in action from Akihabara News:

The iPhone has taken America by storm since its much-vaunted release. The rest of the world is slowly working on giving a crap, but to the States the iPhone represents the current holy grail of mobile phones. New handsets with high expectations are relentlessly branded ‘iPhone killers’, though has any phone even come close to knocking the iPhone from its pedestal in the minds of its users? Not even close.

However, during these times of economic uncertainty, a little bit of fiddling you can give your iTouch essentially the same features as the iPhone. Sure, you won’t have an inbuilt camera, but you can’t send MMS messages or record video anyway, so what are you really missing out on? The kink in the plan here is that you need to be in range of a Wi-Fi hotspot to use your iTouch-Phone, but with the ever-increasing number of public hotspots, it’s likely that if you live in an urban area you’re probably not too far away from one most of the time. The only money you’ll need to spend is on a microphone, since sadly the iPod Touch has no built-in mic.

The great news is that besides having to spend a bit of cash on your microphone solution, all the software used in this tutorial to give your snazzy iPod Touch the functionality of the iPhone is totally free. So what are you waiting for?

There’s no need to jailbreak your iTouch or modify it in any way – all you need is an iPod Touch on 2.x.x firmware, a pair of headphones with a microphone, a WiFi network, and access to Apple’s App Store so you can download and use Fring – a free app which supports several different chat protocols.

1. Choose your microphone

Philips iPhone Mic Adapter $9.99 from Target	Apple Earphones with Remote & Mic (MB770) $29.00 from Apple Store	Apple In-Ear Headphones with Remote & Mic (MA850) $79.00 from Apple Store

I’d recommend the Philips mic adapter, mainly because it costs under $10 compared with Apple’s habitually expensive alternatives, but also because it allows you to use your own headphones. However, you’ll lose out on having the remote. If you prefer a hands-free approach, SwitchEasy’s ThumbTacks might be more your style. Thanks to Apple’s proprietary chip in the new iPod shuffle remote/mic combo earphones, pickings are a little slim at the time of writing.

For 1st generation iPod Touch users, you’ll have to come up with a solution that uses the iPod’s docking port, since the 1st gen doesn’t support line-in through the earphone connection. Sadly, the new fancy Apple earphones are not backwards compatible with the 1G iPod Touch. However, there are some alternative solutions which use the 30-pin dock connecter, such as the popular iVoice3.

Once you’ve sorted out your mic, you’re ready to start setting up your VoIP application.

The alternative to Fring is downloading the new Skype for iPhone/iPod Touch application, which was released last Tuesday. How do the two compare, though? Well, Skype is a very recent release and I’ve found that it tends to crash occasionally, though it’s still very much useable. Fring’s current release (v1.0.0.2.4) is very stable in comparison. Both allow you to import contacts from your iTouch’s contact list, and support both text and voice chat… but what really sets Fring apart is its ability to support not only the Skype VoIP protocol, but also 3rd party SIP accounts, MSN, ICQ, AIM, Yahoo, and Google Talk. It even has plugins for Twitter and last.fm, which make it the winner in my book. However, you can add SkypeOut credit and dial any phone in the world from the Skype application, so if you’d rather stick with a brand you know already, go ahead and download Skype for free and have fun making calls on your iPod!

Personally, I have both, since I prefer the look and feel of the Skype application, but love having the extra functionality of Fring.

2. Install Fring

Step 1: Search for Fring in the App Store with your iPod, and download and install it for free.	Step 2: Once installed, fire up Fring and register a new user account (or sign in if you’re already a Fring member).
Step 3: Now simply pick a User ID, nickname, password and email address (only used to retrieve your password if you forget it).	Step 4: Next, link your Fring account to an active Skype account, and a SIP provider if you have one (I recommend voipstunt.com – it’s free!)
Step 5: Your contact list should now populate with your Skype contacts. Just click their names to call and chat.	Step 6: Click the Dialer and… hey presto! Dial the number you want (don’t forget the leading 00s) and hit the green “SIP” button to dial over your own VoIP provider, or “Skype Out” to use your outgoing Skype credit.

Congratulations! You can now make as well as Skype-to-Skype and Fring-to-Fring calls with other users, absolutely free. Add some SkypeOut credit and you can use that, but watch out – if you don’t make a call for 180 days, they’ll wipe off any credit on your account.

I’d recommend signing up with VoIPstunt for your free VoIP service – they offer 100% free calls to the USA, UK, Canada, Australia and many other countries in Europe, South America and Asia (see the full list here). All you need to do is top up your account with a little bit of credit every 120 days to keep it active. Best of all, Fring supports it out of the box – just enter your username and password and you’re away.

3. Get SMS working
Now that we’ve got the microphone and phone sorted, you’re only missing SMS. Well, you’ve got plenty of options here. For a long time there were apps available that granted jailbroken iPod Touch users completely free text messaging, but sadly a lot of these have been banned, obsoleted, or have not been updated in a long time.

Right now, your best options are:

1. http://sms.dynadel.com (Worldwide, free)
   Open this web page in Safari on your iPod (or even better, make a bookmark and put it on your home screen), choose your country/carrier and type in your friend’s number, type your message and press send. Done.
2. Using the AIM client (Worldwide, free)
   Download the AIM client for iPhone from the App Store on your iPod Touch. Once installed and signed in, you can text anybody by creating a new buddy contact, and set their AIM address as their complete mobile phone number, with country and area code, preceded by a plus (+), for example: +12065550559. It might be better to log on AIM using your computer so you can add friends’ cell numbers more easily. Now you can simply tap the buddy number on your iPod Touch, compose your message, and click Send. Any replies you receive will show up in your AIM client as part of the chat! This method may also work on Fring, as it supports AIM chat – but I didn’t get round to testing it yet.
3. http://www.txtdrop.com/iphone/ (US/Canada only, free)
   Open this address in Safari and send a free text to any US or Canada cellphone.
4. http://www.cbfsms.com (UK only, free)
   Another web-based one, open in Safari and send free UK text messages.
5. http://www.jellysms.com (Worldwide, paid)
   You can purchase the JellySMS app from the App Store for around $3.49 (there’s also an ad-assisted version for half the price). Then simply sign up with a one of the many free VoIP providers they give you, and you can send cheap text messages. OK, so it’s not free, but it seems to be more reliable than the free alternatives, it’s contained within its own app (which supports landscape texting!), and you can set your own caller ID so you can direct replies to the number of your choice.
6. Send SMS through email (US/Canada only, free)
   Quite a nice feature of North American providers is that you can actually send an email to a number via a provider, and it will convert it into a text and send it for you. Try using the iPod’s native Mail app and email your messages to the following addresses, replacing {phone#} with the recipient’s phone number. You will have to know which carrier they’re with, however:

If you’ve got any other working methods for sending and/or receiving SMS on the iPod Touch, let us know! Unfortunately you’ll always need a wi-fi network nearby to use your iPod-come-iPhone mobile phone, but hey! It’s easy to do and it’s a really neat feature.

Many thanks to everybody who helped me out with info for this tutorial! I got most of the info from the iPod Touch Fans forum and Macrumors – check them out if you need even more info on making the most out of your iPod Touch!

Ooh shiny.

Whilst recently searching for new drivers for my Razer Copperhead mouse i stumbled across Razer’s new offering, the Razer “Mamba” which quite frankly looks awesome. The mouse is both wireless and wired, and as far as I know it’s the first wireless mouse Razer have produced. It also features 5600dpi tracking, which is a number so big it can’t be bad, but unfortunately the price is equally as big, at around £120 ($176).

Battery life is stated to be  14hrs of continuous gaming, and 72 hours of ‘normal gaming usage’… I don’t actually know what consitutes ‘normal gaming usage’, when I’m gaming normally it tends to be continuous anyway, for many sweaty hours.

Price point aside, worth checking out if you’re a gamer that fancies a bit of expensive but lag and wire free gaming.

http://www.razerzone.com/gaming-mice/razer-mamba/

Digital photo frames are big news these days and I love them. I just think it’s a great idea that you don’t have to decide which pictures to frame, because you’re pushed for space. Now you can put a selection in your frame and watch as they change. I also think people are more likely to stop and take a look if the image keeps changing and surely that’s the whole point of having your pics on display? As with everything, digital frames are getting more and more sophisticated as technology moves on. Now, not only can you display your favourite photos, but you can also set them to your favourite tunes, creating your own personal soundtrack and even show off your home videos. Take a look at the MV-1500 Digital Picture Frame, which is a photo frame, MP3 Music Player AND video player.

Ok, at around £300 it’s not exactly cheap, but with a high resolution 15” TFT screen that displays your digital photos and video clips in vivid colour and compatibility with a huge range of media cards, it’s a great investment if you want to show off your photos and video clips. Let’s face it, it makes looking through someone else’s holiday snaps a bit more interesting!

These days we have so many gadgets that we really do take them for granted – until they run out of power that is! If our mobile phone, PDA, iPod or PSPs, runs out of power when we‘re out and about we‘re suddenly savage and cursing modern technology (well, you are if you‘re anything like me!)

PowerBank is the perfect solution to keeping all your favourite gadgets fully charged throughout a journey. Basically a beefed up battery, PowerBank is ready for action whenever any of your many devices need an emergency charge – you know the kind of situation I’m talking about – you’re stuck in the car and your child’s iPod has just died causing all sorts of unnecessary stress! PowerBank provides a lifeline, PowerBank in such a gadget emergency!

Fully charged, PowerBank delivers enough power to recharge a device anywhere between two and four times; every gadget is different. And weighing just 65g, it‘s compact enough to carry around on your travels. Simply charge PowerBank via the mains or via USB before your journey, and then take it with you for a reserve power supply. PowerBank comes fully equipped with all the relevant adapters for your gadgets, so you can leave their various chargers and docking stations at home. Red LED indicators let you know PowerBank’s charging status, and it even comes with a built-in LED torch to shine some light on the situation. So now you’ll always have the power!

Christmas is a time when you can really indulge your passion for boy’s toys, girl’s gadgets and all those silly, but fun gizmos that you don’t need, but would really, really like. After all, isn’t it the perfect opportunity to treat yourself to things you’d never normally buy? And, even if they end up at the back of a cupboard when the tree comes down, there’s no better time than the Christmas holidays for playing with toys! So, with Christmas around the corner, let me tell you my Top Ten (entirely unnecessary) Christmas Gadgets for Christmas 2007.

Bop It
Christmas is a time when all the noisy and annoying toys and games come into their own, so it’s only right that I include that old favourite – Bop It in my Top Ten.

Whether you’re spinning, twisting, flicking or bopping, Bop It is one gadget that will create a real stir! This colourful game shouts the instructions to you, so you know whether to pull or flick! The better you get, the quicker the tempo, the faster this crazy game goes and when you miss a beat, you’ll know about it! Can you keep up with the Bop-it beat?

One of the funniest things is watching how people get what can only be described as ‘a groove on’ when they have Bop It in their hands, passing it quickly back and forth before the next pull, flick or spin. It’s extremely addictive – once you start playing Bop It, you won’t be able to put it down, as you keep trying to beat your own high score, much to the irritation of those around you. Isn’t it funny how a simple gadget can turn grown adults into competitive fiends?

So, if you’re looking for a fun party ice-breaker or a great game to keep the kids occupied for hours (buy them one each with a set of headphones for some indulgent peace and quiet!), then Bop It gets full mark every time. It will keep them occupied over the Christmas holidays without driving you mad. No, it doesn’t make you a bad parent – Bop It is actually a really good way to improve concentration and coordination! And there are so many versions to choose from now, including the new downloadable Bop It that you’ll be bopping well into 2008!

USB Xmas Tree
USB is everywhere these days – people invent a new gadget and a few months later there’s a USB version on the market. So, it’s obvious that Christmas is a great opportunity to cash in on all things USB. Hence, the USB Christmas Tree!

Perfect for decorating any office, the sparkling little lights have a soothing, almost hypnotic effect and will make anyone who passes by get into the festive spirit. If you argue with your colleagues about who gets to decorate the tree, then find less enthusiasm when the time comes to take it down in January, a compact USB Fibre Optic Christmas tree is the perfect compromise. And best of all, you won’t still be picking pine needles out of the carpet next July!

There are so many available that it’s never been easier to brighten up your desktop and bring some instant Christmas cheer to the office. Hey, you could even have a competition with your colleagues to see who can come up with the craziest Christmas related USB gizmo – from reindeers with flashing noses and santas banging on a drum, the possibilities are endless. But, the USB Christmas Tree is the classic, the staple USB gadget that you can bring out year after year, which is why it’s made it into my Top Ten!

20 Questions
I know what you’re thinking. You don’t believe me do you? Well, you soon will. Just think of an everyday object and I will ask you a few simple questions. Answer the questions honestly and I’ll tell you what you’re thinking. Scary, isn’t it?

What’s this, Twenty Questions? No, it’s 20Q, the fun handheld electronic game that can read your mind! The classic game of twenty questions is captured in a convenient portable format. If it reads your mind within 20 questions it wins, if not, you win! Great fun for kids and adults alike, you won’t be able to put 20Q handheld down this Christmas, because you’ll be determined not to be beaten by an electronic game!

To play, think of something…anything…then answer a series of questions. 20Q will begin by asking if you’re thinking of an animal, vegetable, mineral, other or unknown. It will then proceed to ask you questions to which you can reply, ‘Yes’, ‘No’, ‘Sometimes’ or ‘Unknown’. You’ll be amazed as it tries to guess what you’re thinking and it‘s smart comments along the way are sure to make you more determined to win!

With its retro design and arcade-style sound effects, it may not be the most sophisticated toy in the world, but it certainly makes my Top Ten Gadgets for Christmas not least because it’s the perfect size to pop in a Christmas stocking!

Coughing Ashtray
How has the smoking ban affected you? Are you a smoker struggling to give up and standing out in the cold sucking on a fag while your friends sit inside the cosy smoke-free pub lounge? Or, are you a smug non-smoker rubbing your hands with glee because you can now enjoy an evening out without coming home with your hair and clothes reeking of stale smoke. Whatever camp you fall into, you can have a little fun this Christmas with the Coughing Ashtray.

If you’re trying to give up smoking you might find it harder when you’re sitting around the house over Christmas with time on your hands – you may be more tempted to succumb. If everyone’s out they’ll be no one to challenge you. That’s where the Coughing Ashtray steps in. We all know that smoking is a dirty filthy habit, but for some of us find the habit just too hard to kick. If you, or someone you know could do with a helping hand to turn their back on the demon fags for good, then we’ve got just the thing to aid you in your crusade. There’s nothing worse than the sound of a forty-a-day smoker coughing and spluttering, so maybe it’s time to take drastic action and remind them what it sounds like. Not everyone will appreciate the funny side of the Coughing Ashtray, but then again, it could turn out to be a lifesaver. Better than a nicorette patch, this cool silver ashtray will cough its lungs up each time you use it, which is enough to put even the most ardent smoker off for life, so let this Ashtray help you keep your New Year’s Resolution.

Pinpressions
Now this make seem like a strange one for the Top Ten Christmas Gadgets, but historically, Christmas is a time for giving naff, pointless presents and I quite like this one. Fancy yourself as a pin-up? Think your good looks can help you make a good impression? Well, now you can find out with Pinpressions. It may look like a miniature bed of nails, but it’s actually a portable piece of art and experimenting with it will pass a bit of time on Christmas Day.

Photocopying parts of your anatomy at the office gets a little tiresome eventually (not to mention the fact that it could lead to disciplinary action!), so if you’re looking for a new way to make your mark at work when you return in 2008, then make an impression with Pinpressions, the unique gadget that performs and entertains instantly! By simply pressing Pinpressions to the side of your face or any other part of your body, it will capture your image with full dimension. Or, you can use your finger to draw on Pinpressions to create an individual mini sculpture. Now that’s what we call art!

Handy Trim
Now, I’m sure we’re all guilty of a spot of over-indulgence during the festive season, so it’s only right that my Top Ten included something to get you back in shape again so you’re fighting fit for 2008!

If your busy schedule leaves you little time to keep fit, then shape up with HandyTrim. Maybe you work in an office, sitting at a desk all day with little movement. This compact fitness device allows you to achieve maximum results without spending hours training. The most effective training plan requires only five minutes, five times a day, but even if you can only manage three times a day, you’ll soon notice a difference in the way you feel.

HandyTrim fits easily into any handbag, sport bag, backpack, locker, desk drawer or glove compartment so you can have a mini workout at your convenience! It may be small in size, but you’ll be surprised at how gigantic the results can be.

Most effective for sports that require strong arm and upper body coordination, HandyTrim could help to improve your game! Experts agree that not properly warming up before sporting activity results in the most sports injuries. Within minutes, HandyTrim warms the muscle groups located in the upper body to help prevent injury. There are various exercises to concentrate on strengthening different muscles and all will improve your coordination. HandyTrim will also help to improve your posture and prevent deformity caused by incorrect posture.

So, if you find it difficult to make time for the gym, don’t make unrealistic resolutions for the New Year – stay trim with the handy workout you can carry in your pocket!

Powerball
Definition: Powerball is a finely engineered and precision crafted gyro consisting of a rapidly spinning rotor enclosed in a solid [hand held] outer sphere.

It’s little wonder then, that high performance athletes and sports champions are amongst the Powerball’s greatest fans. It may only be the size of a tennis ball, but take a Powerball in your hand, set the rotor in motion using the cord provided and you’ll experience the extraordinary sensation that already has millions of people around the world hooked.

Powerball makes it into my Top Ten Gadgets for Christmas, because it makes everyone so competitive, and just like 20Q, is the perfect size for a stocking filler. The Green Neon Pro Powerball uses the same precision balanced rotor found in the 250Hz models but has the added feature of 6 high intensity LED’s (built into that rotor) which glow brightly once you get your Powerball spinning. The Neon Pro literally explodes with mind numbing torque and inertia once you activate its internal motor. You’d better have some power in your wrist, because the faster you spin it, the brighter it glows! The surreal glow which engulfs your hand during use is generated by a small induction coil present in the rotor.

So, whether you’re a sports enthusiast who wants to make some improvements to your game, a fitness addict who wants to build or tone your arms, or you simply want to astound your family and friends with your wrist strength (easy!) this Christmas then you’ll love Glowing Neon Powerball. You can train like a pro and enjoy the most addictive and entertaining spin around!

Shocking Roulette
Have you got nerves of steel? Find out this Christmas. No, I’m not talking about the nerves of steel you need to endure the Mother-in-Law (although that may be true!) I’m talking about the bravery required to play Shocking Roulette. No, not Russian Roulette – that’s pure madness. Who in their right mind would risk a bullet in the head just to play a game? Shocking Roulette, on the other hand, retains the suspense and intrigue, but the worst you’ll suffer is a small electric shock. Still, you’d be surprised at how quickly grown men and women turn to jelly when they place their fingers into the electronic chambers and wait nervously to see who will receive the ‘shock’.

Players place their fingers in one of the chambers on the board, the start button is pressed and the agonising wait begins! The tension mounts as the unit beeps and the lights flash around the board, imitating the sound of the ball on a traditional roulette wheel. But, unlike the casino, the only prize in this game is the relief when you realise you’ve escaped a shock. Then you can relax and laugh at the unlucky ‘victim’. Beware, they’ll probably suggest another round and it’s only a matter of time until it’s your finger that gets a jolt. And once you’ve seen the reaction of other people as they’re shocked, the pressure builds even more, until you just want to get your turn over and done with! When the bleeping stops, the screaming starts!

You don’t need skill or dexterity to play this Shocking Roulette, you just need a large dose of courage! Perfect for livening things on Christmas Day, Shocking Roulette is the game that creates a real ‘buzz’! Much more fun than the practice of drawing the short straw, it’s the ideal way to decide who does the washing up after Christmas dinner!

Beer Butler
Aaah – football and beer – the perfect combination! What could be better than putting your feet up to watch the footie with a cold beer in your hand? Christmas is a time for entertaining, so stock up on the beers, invite your friends over and get yourself a butler. Sound a bit extravagant? Not at all. The brilliant Beer Butler is affordable, yet will prove invaluable when you‘re relaxing over the festive season.

Can’t tear your eyes away from the Christmas matinee to pass your Dad another beer? Simply slide the Beer Butler along the table and you can keep your attention on the film because it will ingeniously stop when it reaches the edge without spilling a drop! Yes, this football shaped Beer Buddy is battery operated and smart enough to carry your beer back and forth across the table. So, you see, all you need to do is make sure all the drinks are in the room and let the Butler distribute them amongst your guests. Ok, it’s a little lazy, but sometimes you just need to be free to indulge your passions in life!

Hot Choctail Maker
What’s better on a cold winters day than snuggling up on the sofa with a warm, comforting mug of hot chocolate (ok, ok, a night on the town with a few drinks is pretty good too, but we don’t all get out much!) So, I had to make room in my Top Ten Christmas Gadgets for this little beauty. And, for those of you who do prefer an alcoholic beverage to a ‘boring’ hot drink you might be more interested when we tell you you can use the fantastic Hot Choctail Maker to rustle up a range of choc lovely alcoholic smoothies.

Yes, if you’re a chocoholic, then this is the Christmas gift for you. The Choctail Maker heats, mixes and froths chocolate to create mochas, milkshakes and other chocolate treats. Who needs a trip to Willy Wonka’s when you can indulge your passion for all things chocokate at home! And, we all know that chocolate is plentiful at Christmas time so with this fantastic drinks maker under your tree on Christmas Day, you can start experimenting straight away!

What a fantastic stocking filler for anyone with warm nostalgic feelings for those days of spending all their pocket money down at the arcades. Perfect for all big kids this Christmas, the Space Invaders keyring will really take you back!